Summer Scavenger Hunt Fun

A few weeks ago, I asked colleagues on the Imagine Your Virtual Story FB page to share some of their ideas on what they were doing for scavenger hunts this summer. I received some great shares of hunts that can be done offline as well as part of a virtual program. Now that the weather is warmer, there are alot of possibilities to explore!

Many libraries have had fun coordinating community-wide scavenger hunts that ask people to display a certain object (or depiction of the object) in their windows for kids and families to find as they take walks in their neighborhoods. Teddy bears, dinosaurs, flowers, cats, unicorns, horses, trucks and more have been displayed. This kind of hunt lends itself to collaboration with local media (newspapers, radio) and organizations too who can help spread the word.

And scavenger hunts can be much more than looking for specific objects around the house or outside. Think about asking kids to find things of one color or certain shapes. Consider asking them to look for objects that rhyme with a word or specific numbers of objects or that involvs the five senses or letters of the alphabet. The sky can really be the limit!

Birchard Public Library (OH) is a great example of pushing that envelope. They created an ongoing Social Distancing scavenge hunt event page on their FB page. Using the discussion area in the event, they are able to mount multiple scavenger hunts from week to week and month to month that play with what to base a hunt on! Here are just two examples:

Birchard Public Library, Fremont OH

Birchard Public Library, Fremont OH

At the Oak Park (IL) Library, a staffer shared a video with a simple example of a scavenger hunt challenge using her backyard to show kids how she finds the answers.

You can make your own scavenger hunts too! One library said "We live in a very rural community. We are planning a Selfie Scavenger Hunt where they take selfies with structures around the community, like the historical gas pump in our area. I'm hoping we have several teens participate." Other libraries mount the challenge in a library window or in a photo on FB like this library:  

Argyle(WI) Public Library

  

There are also plenty of online examples and templates you can use. At the Argyle (WI) Public Library, they found a template online and are planning to cut out each square, maybe add some colors along the bottom to find, staple to brown bag and set out for the kids to pick up & complete on their own or during one of their story walks.

No matter which way you go, you can engage your community in this passive - but very active- DIY programs, that are perfect for offline as well as virtual fun!

SLP Programming YSS blog COVID-19 series:

• A Reimagined SLP During a Pandemic  9/30/20
• A Look Back at Summer 2020  9/10/20
• Fun Summer Library Activities During COVID-19  7/6/20
• Summer Scavenger Hunt Fun 5/30/20
• Virtual and Offline Programs for Summer and Beyond  5/6/20
• DIY Family Activities for SLP from CSLP 5/1/20
• Virtual Programming & SLP Ideas for YOU! 4/25/20

FAQ Friday for May 29, 20

Dear Library Staff Serving Youth, 

Happy Friday! Here is the latest installment of Friday FAQs for Youth Services. The slides used in the recording are attached as a PDF. Also, the FAQ Friday form is open for your input on next week’s episode.

                FAQ Friday 5/29/2020 recording (4:44) https://youtu.be/QxSi1LcZRzI  

FAQ Friday form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfcCCH0bDIXMTpzt4WBrfmJHvP-B7Vm_B5Ide6p0byioYwh9Q/viewform?usp=sf_link

Last Week’s FAQ Friday 5/22/2020 recording (4:45) https://youtu.be/oWKcjHO7u7M

Resources related to this week’s topics

Wisconsin Youth Services Program Palooza webinar
Wednesday, June 3, 1-2 pm   Register here. The webinar will be recorded; please register to get the link.

Spring 2020 has been a series of pivots and pauses for public library youth services...and perhaps uncovered a wealth of new and unexpected creative and problem-solving skills for you!  Join us and continue to plan confidently for Summer and Fall with an abundance of ideas, programs and attitudes in this free one hour webinar. System youth services consultants (Shawn Brommer, Angela Meyers & Marge Loch-Wouters) and DPI staff (Tessa Michaelson Schmidt) invite you to be part of this positive, simplified, and intentional approach to youth services for the coming months.  

Guidelines for Reopening Wisconsin Public LibrariesCreated in collaboration with staff and members from all 16 public library systems, DPI will release the latest iteration of the Guidelines for Reopening Wisconsin Public Libraries very soon. This newest version addresses the changes brought forth by Wisconsin Supreme Court decision to strike down the Safer at Home extension. No longer aligned with the Badger Bounce Back plan, this final document emphasizes decision-making based on conditions at the local level. A webinar will follow on Wednesday, June 3, at 10:30 a.m. Look for a post on the Wisconsin Libraries for Everyone blog for connection information.

Women's Suffrage Centennial Book Donation Request
The American Library Association (ALA) is pleased to partner with the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission (WSCC) to distribute 6,000 women’s suffrage youth book sets to libraries across the country. Public and school libraries are encouraged to apply for the book sets by June 15, 2020.

Be well,

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

Public Library Consultant – Youth and Inclusive Services

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Division for Libraries and Technology

(608) 267-5077

Friday FAQs with Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

• 6/18/21 recording

• 5/14/21 recording
• 4/9/21 recording
• 3/12/21 recording
• 2/12/21 recording
• 1/15/21 recording
• 12/11/20 recording
• 11/13/20 recording
• 10/9/20 recording
• 9/11/20 recording
• 8/14/20 recording
• 7/31/20 recording
• 7/17/20 recording
• 7/10/20 recording
• 6/26/20 recording
• 6/19/20 recording
• 6/11/20 recording
• 6/5/20 recording
• 5/29/20 recording
• 5/22/20 recording
• 5/15/20 recording
• 5/8/20 recording
• 5/1/20 recording
• 4/24/20 recording
• 4/17/20 recording
• 4/10/20 recording   

Race, Justice, Kids and Libraries

prettygooddesign.org

There is always more work to be done by each and every one of us to create a safe and bias-free world for all our communities. This work doesn't start or stop when there is injustice and unrest because that has been ever-present - not just historically but for every single day of your and my lived life. Every. Day. Until we commit to fighting injustice and racism every day, no matter who we are or where we are from, we can't make this change happen. Let's all be that change. 

The following resources on this blog post will be updated as links and resources come to our attention. Please feel free to share any you run across in the comments.

KidLit Rally 4 Black Lives: Anti-Racist Resources for Children, Families and Educators. The Brown Bookshelf. Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich. 6/4/20

Your Kids Aren't Too Young to Talk About Race  prettygooddesign blog

Talking Race with Young Children. NPR 4/26/19

Black Lives Matter Instructional Library - clickable links to read-alouds for kids

ALSC Supporting Diverse Communities Toolkit
Families of diverse backgrounds are facing increased uncertainty and are turning to their public libraries as a resource for information on navigating issues in our changing times. The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has compiled a list of resources to help librarians support children and families through times of unrest and uncertainty. ALSC’s Core Values include Responsiveness, Inclusiveness, Integrity and Respect. Therefore, when many are feeling vulnerable, disenfranchised, or wary of what the future holds, librarians and ALSC members stand resolute in their commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion

Let's Talk About Race (13:01 minute video) - The Tutu Teacher
I made this video for the kindergarten students at my school. I realize this might be a helpful video for non Black children to also watch. In the video I discuss what racism is and how it’s impacted the lives of Black and Brown people. I also read aloud the story Let’s Talk about Race. Finally, I encourage young people to think about what actions they can take to use their voice to speak out against injustices. You have my permission to share.You can find the video by tapping the link in my bio or going to https://bit.ly/videotutu

Talking About Race and Anti-Racism with Children  Ramsey County (MN) Library.  5/29/20

Anti-Racism Resources Padlet -  Compiled by Dr. Nicole Cooke

Anti-Racism Resources . Compiled by Sarah Sophie Flicker, Alyssa Klein. May 2020

This document is intended to serve as a resource to white people and parents to deepen our anti-racism work. If you haven’t engaged in anti-racism work in the past, start now. Feel free to circulate this document on social media and with your friends, family, and colleagues.

Because several folks keep asking for a reading list for children (0-12) - Compiled by Sujei Lugo Vázquez (@sujeilugo)  + Alia Jones (@readitrealgood) 6/1/20

Talking About Race web portal. National Museum of  African American History and Culture. 5/31/20

An online portal designed to help individuals, families, and communities talk about racism, racial identity and the way these forces shape every aspect of society, from the economy and politics to the broader American culture. The online portal provides digital tools, online exercises, video instructions, scholarly articles and more than 100 multi-media resources tailored for educators, parents and caregivers—and individuals committed to racial equality.  

An Antiracist Reading List. Ibram X. Kendi. NYTimes  5/29/20

Inclusive Services Assessment and Guide. Wisconsin Dept of Public Instruction. 6/19.

Evaluating Children's Books About Police: a toolkit for librarians and other evaluators of children's literature. Oakland Public Library. 12/17.

Race, Police and Justice: Recommended Reading for Children  Fountaindale (IL) Public Library District    5/28/20

31 Books to Support Conversations on Race, Racism and Resistance. The Conscious Kid 4/29/19

Project Ready: Reimagining Equity & Access for Diverse Youth: a free online professional development curriculum. "This site hosts a series of free, online professional development modules for school and public youth services librarians, library administrators, and others interested in improving their knowledge about race and racism, racial equity, and culturally sustaining pedagogy. The primary focus of the Project READY curriculum is on improving relationships with, services to, and resources for youth of color and Native youth."

Because Black Lives Matter, A Collection of Anti-Racist Reading Lists. Karen Jensen. Teen Librarian Toolbox. SLJ  6/1/2020

Because Black Lives Matter, a Collection of Resources. Karen Jensen. Teen Librarian Toolbox. 6/5/20

Black Lives Matter: a Collection of Intersectionality Resources. Karen Jensen. Teen Librarian Toolbox. 6/8/20

A Roundup of Books on Activism, Social Justice and the Histories of Protest. Amanda McGregor. Teen Librarian Toolbox. 6/9/20

Talking to Kids about Race in Storytime and Let's Talk About Race Toolkit  Jbrary 4/28/18

Embrace Race website - links, webinars, booklists, articles and resources to teach children about race and systemic racism.

Unity and Justice Booklists. ALSC

Summer Reading List 2020. We are Kid Lit Collective.  5/28/2020

We Need Diverse Books website - booklists, resources, links

10 Books About Race To Read Instead Of Asking A Person Of Color To Explain Things To You

Bustle. 3/20/18

75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice. Corinne Shutack. Medium.  8/13/17

Anti-Racism Resource List. Cissy White.  Aces Connections.  6/9/20

For more information on anti-racism and activism resources, please see these additional YSS posts:

• Race, Justice, Kids and Libraries   5/28/20
• CCBC - Black Experiences: Affirmation and Resilience, Activism and Resistance  6/19/20
• CCBC - Race and Racism: Selected Books for Children and Teens  6/19/20
• DPI- Race and Anti-Racism Resources for WI Libraries   6/22/20
• Antiracism Work with Preschoolers  6/24/20

Get Crafty at Home with Picture Books

Maureen Schlosser over at Knowledge Quest has shared a great list of picture book-inspired crafts and ideas for families to keep busy during stay at home.  From Susan L. Roth's Birds of a Feather: Bower Birds and Me to A Life Made By Hand: The Story of Ruth Asawa, Schlosser's suggestions could easily be translated into take and make kits or craft video follow-alongs for the families in your community!  Check out the full article HERE.

Getting Started with Virtual Storytimes

Image by Kidaha from Pixabay

Some of us have been doing online storytimes since our libraries have closed down. Others of us have not yet started. Either way, here are three great WebJunction resources to get you started or refreshed in doing storytimes online.

Saroj Ghoting, early literacy consultant extraordinaire, has written two great blog posts with wise words and great tips on adapting your IRL storytime style to the small and more intimate screen:

Library Storytimes During COVID-19: A Different Kind of Connection  5/6/20

Library Storytimes During COVID-19: Connecting with Families   5/14/20


And Renee Grassi, Youth Services Manager at the Dakota County (MN) Libraries and tireless advocate for accessibility, has an upcoming free webinar on June 16:

Getting Started with Virtual Storytimes

Tuesday, June 16, 2020 ◆ 2:00 pm CST  ◆ 90 minutes
Registration: https://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/getting-started-with-virtual-storytimes.html

Many libraries are moving their storytimes online, to be able to engage with families during times of social distancing. If you want to launch virtual storytimes at your library, but don’t know where to start, this webinar is for you! This comprehensive introduction to virtual storytimes will include book selection and copyright, technology and social media tools, strategies for accessibility and inclusion, early literacy activities, and ideas for promotion. Learn lessons on how to create a dynamic and engaging online presence and building a rapport with your virtual audience.

Thanks to Tessa Michaelson Schmidt for the heads-up!

Virtual Storytimes YSS blog COVID-19 series:

• Online Storytime Creation Tools  11/18/20
• Flipgard, Fanfare and Friends: Celebrity Storytime  9/23/20
• ALSC Virtual Storytime Guide is Out!  6/11/20
• Getting Started with Virtual Storytimes  5/27/20
• “How to Do a Virtual Storytime” Webinars 4/13/20
• Tips on Doing Online Storytimes During COVID-19 Closures 3/16/20; updated 3/20/20
• Storytime Goes Digital 3/20/20
• Digital Storytimes- You Do You! 3/31/20
• Digital Storytime, Screen Time and Intentionality – Oh My 4/6/20
• Facebook Live Online Storytime Tips 3/24/20
• Fixing "My Book is Backwards in Online Storytime!" on iPhone 3/22/20

Permissions (Books, Authors and Music) YSS blog COVID-19 series:

• Many Children’s Books COVID-19 Publisher Permissions Extended  6/24/20
• Virtual Storytime – Tips on Fair Use & Kids’ Privacy 5/4/20
• Want Permission? Current Info on Publishers and Authors 3/22/20; updated 4/23/20
•       Music Permissions? Look No Further  3/27/20; updated 3/31/20

Wisconsin Youth Services Program Palooza Webinar - Register Today!

Wisconsin Youth Services Program Palooza Webinar

Wednesday, June 3, 1-2 pm   

Register here. The webinar will be recorded; please register to get the link.

Spring 2020 has been a series of pivots and pauses for public library youth services...and perhaps uncovered a wealth of new and unexpected creative and problem-solving skills for you!  Join us and continue to plan confidently for Summer and Fall with an abundance of ideas, programs and attitudes in this free one hour webinar. System youth services consultants (Shawn Brommer, Angela Meyers & Marge Loch-Wouters) and DPI staff (Tessa Michaelson Schmidt) invite you to be part of this positive, simplified, and intentional approach to youth services for the coming months.  

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art debuts its first online exhibition!

"The Carle is proud to present ART in PLACE: Social Distancing in the Studio, our first online exhibition, organized while the Museum is temporarily closed . Illustrator and author Mo Willems co-organized the exhibition with Ellen Keiter, The Carle's chief curator, inviting 21 picture book artists, isolated in studios around the world, to share their most recent work.

In addition to the artworks they've created, the artists share photographs of their studios and reflect on the importance of creativity. The curators hope the exhibition will provide solace to everyone counting on picture books during this challenging time. "Science is going to get us out of this," says Willems, "but Art is going to get us through this."

ART in PLACE has been made possible by the generous members and donors who support The Carle."

Raúl Colón,  Love in a Time of Fear,  2020. Courtesy of the artist. ©  Raúl Colón.

Digital Escape Rooms - the Holy Grail

Image by Clockedin dk from Pixabay

Looking for ready-made escape rooms for youth, teens and families developed by libraries all over the country on just about any theme you can imagine? Then please look no further.  As one librarian who saw this doc exclaimed: "This is the Holy Grail of escape rooms!!" 

The curators of this multi-page, multi-link-to-escape-rooms write:

"These Digital Escape Rooms and other activities are compiled here by Sun Prairie (WI) Public Library Youth Services Librarian, Sammy Nieman, The County Library (Salt Lake) Adult Services Librarian, Ellen Thayn, and Mooresville Public Library Teen Librarian, but the activities themselves have been made by librarians from all over. If you truly enjoyed one, please consider reaching out to the library, if they provided their information, to thank them. Please feel free to share this document with all (patrons, friends, families). We have done our best to ensure we have the permission from the library/creator before sharing the activity."

Check out (and bookmark!!!) this google doc and discover your Holy Grail!!

[Updated 5/29/20]

And for more resources on escape rooms and how to build them, check out Escape Rooms Virtually - Not Just fro Teens and Adults blog post published  5/28/20 on the ALSC blog

Virtual & Offline Programming YSS blog COVID-19 series:

• Innovative Solutions for Connecting with Kids During COVID 10/25/21
• Virtual Teen Escape Room Book Club  10/22/21
• Making Digital Escape Rooms   11/23/20
• How to be a Better Video Presenter  11/2/20
• Storytime on the Road!   10/15/20
• How to Do Halloween During COVID-19  9/28/20
• Recharging Your “To-Go” Services  9/9/20
• Youth Services Program Palooza webinar 6/8/20
• Digital Escape Rooms – the Holy Grail  5/26/20
• Virtual and Offline Programs for Summer and Beyond  5/6/20 (combines & updates 6 previous resource post)
• “Grab-&-Go” Activity Kit Ideas  5/5/20
• Offline and Feeling Fine: Ideas for Programming Unvirtually  4/29/20
• Beyond E-Storytimes: Virtual Services and Programs for Youth 4/22/20
• Using Premier for Virtual Programming on Facebook 3/24/20

Using Puppets, STEM & Motion Webinars for Libraries

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt shares these free Library of Michigan-sponsored archived webinars with all of us here is WI!

DIY Puppets and Props to Support Imagine Your Story
“Story” is a part of a child’s first language and key to exploring and understanding their world. Imaginative play is essential to a healthy childhood and a more compassionate, fulfilling adulthood. And so, providing children opportunities for open-ended narrative play with puppets and props will not only allow them to develop social skills like sharing and cooperation, it will also help use their imagination to grow in language and literacy! In this webinar, facilitated by Storyteller and Narrative Consultant, Jenifer Strauss, learn how to provide children with simple puppets and props from every-day household items to provide “anytime, anywhere” opportunities for narrative play. (Recorded 05/08/2020) 

We also had 2 really fun STEM webinars that you’re welcome to share, too:

STEM in the Kitchen with Longway Planetarium’s Laurie Bone
In this STEM training Longway Planetarium’s Laurie Bone will introduce some basic chemistry concepts while demonstrating fun and easy-to-do chemistry activities straight from the kitchen.  Activities that you can do virtually with your patrons using everyday kitchen tools will be demonstrated.  Webinar participants will also receive links to information sheets that support each activity so that you can create a “STEM in the Kitchen” program, either in the library or virtually, for your families. (Recorded 05/12/2020)

Motion! with Longway Planetarium’s Laurie Bone
In this STEM training, Longway Planetarium’s Laurie Bone will provide background information about forces and motion, and share connections to the Next Generation Science Standards.  Some easy, tried and true activities that you can do virtually with your patrons using everyday household items will be demonstrated.  Webinar participants will also receive links to information sheets that support each activity so that you can create a “Motion” STEM program, either in the library or virtually, for your families. (Recorded 04/28/2020)

We did 10 “fun” webinar trainings over the past 5 weeks or so - all of which can be found on the Library of Michigan webinar archives: https://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/0,9327,7-381-88855_89737-301245--,00.html. Feel free to copy, paste & share the links out to your libraries.

This program is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Cathy Lancaster

Youth Services Coordinator

Library of Michigan

Webinar - Summer Meals at Libraries in 2020

OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

Janet Dwyer of the OH State Library writes: "I’m excited to share that the CSLP staff and representatives of the USDA Food & Nutrition Service are collaborating to offer a nationwide webinar for library staff about the Summer Food Service Program and its special waivers for summer 2020 that allow non-congregate feeding. This may be the ideal year for libraries to serve as SFSP sites, even with all the challenges libraries themselves are facing. Grab-and-go summer meals seem like an easy add-on to curbside pickup of library materials, and with the economic devastation of the pandemic, the need for access to nutritious food for children has never been greater.

This webinar came together very quickly. The extended waivers were just announced by USDA last Friday. The webinar will be held next Thursday, May 28, to give libraries time to follow up if they decide to pursue being a 2020 SFSP site.

Please register and attend if you can, and share the webinar info with public librarians in your state. The webinar will be of interest to library staff at current and prospective SFSP sites, SLA consultants and other state/regional library leaders, and any library worker who is interested in learning about SFSP."

To register:

https://usda-fns.webex.com/usda-fns/onstage/g.php?MTID=ec550bb0e7098abb855f188ebdd635060 and click on the “Register” link

*****************

Feeding Your Community: Summer Meals at Libraries in 2020

https://usda-fns.webex.com/usda-fns/onstage/g.php?MTID=ec550bb0e7098abb855f188ebdd635060

Thursday, May 28, Noon CT 

Many libraries around the USA participate in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a USDA-funded program that provides free meals and snacks to children ages 0-18 in communities with high levels of need. Libraries and SFSP are a great fit! Libraries are free and open to all. Libraries are accessible. Children and teens are always welcome. The library is a stigma-free community center where community members traditionally get things for free. Libraries also gain a lot from participating as SFSP sites. They directly support vulnerable community members and directly address food insecurity. They attract new user groups and increase their visibility and importance as a stakeholder in community well-being.

Summer meals will look quite different this year as USDA has made temporary changes so that meals may be taken home, and parents or guardians may pick up meals for their children if the state allows.

Join Penny Weaver and Maged Hanafi from the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service to learn the basics of SFSP, what will be different in 2020, and how your library can support child and community well-being by being a new or returning SFSP site, or by supporting other SFSP sites in your community.

Speakers:

• Penny Weaver, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA Food and Nutrition Service
• Maged Hanafi, Team Lead, Community Nutrition, Midwest, USDA Food and Nutrition Service
• Luke Kralik, Organizational Coordinator, Collaborative Summer Library Program

Register for the May 28 webinar here:

https://usda-fns.webex.com/usda-fns/onstage/g.php?MTID=ec550bb0e7098abb855f188ebdd635060 and click on the “Register” link

Resources:

• The SFSP is a federally-funded, state-administered program. The SFSP reimburses providers who serve free healthy meals to children and teens in low-income areas during the summer months when school is not in session. Check out our video to learn more: https://youtu.be/U_93W0U3E8U

• Contact your State agency to talk about how you can get involved: www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/sfsp-contacts

• Check out the Summer Food Service Program website: www.summerfood.usda.gov

• Explore how libraries can participate and support summer meals directly as food service sites, or through outreach, publicity, and collaboration: www.cslpreads.org/libraries-and-summer-food 

• Learn why organizations throughout the country serve Summer Meals: https://youtu.be/U_93W0U3E8U

• Find Summer Meals sites close to you: www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks

• Since the outset of the coronavirus outbreak, USDA has provided states with broad flexibilities to ensure the continuation of meal service during COVID-19 related school closures. USDA is committed to using all the options available to us to help people get the food they need.  To learn more about the USDA Food and Nutrition service and our response to COVID-19, visit www.fns.usda.gov/coronavirus and follow us on Twitter at @USDANutrition.

Register for the May 28 webinar here:

https://usda-fns.webex.com/usda-fns/onstage/g.php?MTID=ec550bb0e7098abb855f188ebdd635060 and click on the “Register” link

Thanks to Tessa Michaelson Schmidt for the share.